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  • Concert March 8, 2026 | PCC

    SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2026 AT 4 PM JONATHAN BISS, PIANO MOZART, JANÁČEK, AND SCHUMANN JONATHAN BISS , PIANO “Biss is known for his deeply insightful approach to the pillars of the repertoire and a desire to forge connections between that canon and the present…” — The Boston Globe, January 2024 ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE BUY TICKETS Pianist Jonathan Biss is internationally acclaimed for his impeccable taste, formidable technique, and profound musical insight. He has performed as a soloist with many of the world’s leading orchestras and, since 2018, has served as Co-Artistic Director of the Marlboro Music School and Festival alongside Mitsuko Uchida. In his thoughtfully curated program, Jonathan Biss charts an expressive journey through three centuries of piano masterpieces — from Mozart’s stormy Sonata in C minor, K. 457, to Janáček’s early 20th-century nostalgia in On an Overgrown Path , and the sweeping Romantic passion of Schumann’s Fantasy in C , envisioned as a coded love letter to his beloved wife-to-be, Clara Wieck. 2025-2026 SEASON September 14, 2025 “Singers” from the Met Orchestra October 12, 2025 Lawrence Brownlee, tenor November 2, 2025 Benjamin Appl, baritone; James Baillieu, piano December 7, 2025 The Tallis Scholars January 18, 2026 Benjamin Beilman, violin; Jonathan Swenson, cello; Orion Weiss, piano February 22, 2026 Radu Ratoi, accordion March 8, 2026 Jonathan Biss, piano April 26, 2026 Jerusalem String Quartet May 17, 2026 Chee-Yun, violin; Sterling Elliott, cello; Henry Kramer, piano Artist Roster Parlance Program Notes LOCATION At West Side Presbyterian Church 6 South Monroe Street Ridgewood, NJ 07450 For map and directions, click here . CONCERT AMENITIES Whee lchair Accessible Fr e e Parking for all concerts FEATURING BUY TICKETS PROGRAM Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sonata in C minor, K. 457 Program Notes Leoš Janáček: On an Overgrown Path, Series 1, Nos. 1, 6, and 7 Program Notes INTERMISSION Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sonata in F, K. 533/494 Program Notes Robert Schumann: Fantasy in C, Op. 17 Program Notes Watch pianist Jonathan Biss play Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, Op. 12: Watch pianist Jonathan Biss play Beethoven’s Sonata No. 31, Op. 110:

  • Concert May 17, 2026 | PCC

    SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2026 AT 4 PM A BRAHMSIAN FINALE CHEE-YUN, VIOLIN STERLING ELLIOTT, CELLO HENRY KRAMER, PIANO CHEE-YUN , VIOLIN STERLING ELLIOTT , CELLO HENRY KRAMER , PIANO “Chee-Yun was at once playful and passionate, her bow was consistently precise even at NASCAR speed.” — The Washington Post “Sterling Elliot is a star cellist who has risen beyond hopeful promise to astonishing maturity. If you see his name on an upcoming venue, take the leap, and hear what he is up to, no matter what the program offers.“ — The Millbrook Independent “Henry Kramer was as technically flawless and precise as a faceted diamond…” — Portland Press Herald ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE BUY TICKETS 2025-2026 SEASON September 14, 2025 “Singers” from the Met Orchestra October 12, 2025 Lawrence Brownlee, tenor November 2, 2025 Benjamin Appl, baritone; James Baillieu, piano December 7, 2025 The Tallis Scholars January 18, 2026 Benjamin Beilman, violin; Jonathan Swenson, cello; Orion Weiss, piano February 22, 2026 Radu Ratoi, accordion March 8, 2026 Jonathan Biss, piano April 26, 2026 Jerusalem String Quartet May 17, 2026 Chee-Yun, violin; Sterling Elliott, cello; Henry Kramer, piano Artist Roster Parlance Program Notes LOCATION At West Side Presbyterian Church 6 South Monroe Street Ridgewood, NJ 07450 For map and directions, click here . CONCERT AMENITIES Whee lchair Accessible Fr e e Parking for all concerts FEATURING BUY TICKETS Violinist Chee-Yun returns to Parlance Chamber Concerts following her unforgettable 2024 performance of Brahms’s Horn Trio — an interpretation so compelling that Artistic Director Michael Parloff invited her back for an afternoon devoted entirely to Brahms’s chamber music. She will be joined by two extraordinary young artists: Sterling Elliott , a cellist of “astonishing maturity” (The Millbrook Independent ), and Henry Kramer , a pianist whose Brahms playing has been called “thrilling and nearly flawless” (Cleveland Classical Review ). Their program will open with Brahms’s dramatic D-minor Violin Sonata , followed by the lyrical F-major Cello Sonata . The concert will culminate in a performance of Brahms’s towering B-minor Piano Trio , uniting all three artists in a powerful and expressive finale to Parlance Chamber Concert’s 18th season. PROGRAM Johannes Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108 Program Notes Johannes Brahms: Cello Sonata No. 2 in F, Op. 99 Program Notes INTERMISSION Johannes Brahms: Piano Trio No. 1 in B, Op. 8 Program Notes Watch violinist Chee-Yun’s scintillating performance of Brahms’s Horn Trio with hornist Brad Gemeinhardt and pianist Alessio Bax: Watch cellist Sterling Elliott play Elgar’s Cello Concerto in London: Watch pianist Henry Kramer play Ravel’s Alborada del Gracioso from Miroirs:

  • Concert April 26, 2026 | PCC

    SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2026 AT 4 PM JERUSALEM STRING QUARTET ALEXANDER PAVLOVSKY, VIOLIN SERGEI BRESLER, VIOLIN MATHIS ROCHAT, VIOLA KYRIL ZLOTNIKOV, CELLO JERUSALEM STRING QUARTET “Consummately brilliant playing throughout, combining amazing technical finesse with overwhelming musical insight….” — BBC Music Magazine ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE BUY TICKETS Renowned for their “amazing technical finesse and overwhelming musical insight” (BBC Music Magazine ), the Jerusalem String Quartet returns to Parlance Chamber Concerts for an expressively far-ranging program featuring works by Haydn, Beethoven , and Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Shulamit Ran . Celebrated for their warm, balanced sound and eloquent ensemble unity, the Quartet brings a rare blend of tradition, individuality, and emotional depth to both classical masterworks and contemporary voices. Their program will culminate with Beethoven’s Quartet in B-flat, Op. 130 , including the boundary-pushing Grosse Fuge . This great quartet —by turns rustic, playful, introspective, and adventurous —showcases the full range of Beethoven’s extraordinary late-life inventiveness and mastery.” 2025-2026 SEASON September 14, 2025 “Singers” from the Met Orchestra October 12, 2025 Lawrence Brownlee, tenor November 2, 2025 Benjamin Appl, baritone; James Baillieu, piano December 7, 2025 The Tallis Scholars January 18, 2026 Benjamin Beilman, violin; Jonathan Swenson, cello; Orion Weiss, piano February 22, 2026 Radu Ratoi, accordion March 8, 2026 Jonathan Biss, piano April 26, 2026 Jerusalem String Quartet May 17, 2026 Chee-Yun, violin; Sterling Elliott, cello; Henry Kramer, piano Artist Roster Parlance Program Notes LOCATION At West Side Presbyterian Church 6 South Monroe Street Ridgewood, NJ 07450 For map and directions, click here . CONCERT AMENITIES Whee lchair Accessible Fr e e Parking for all concerts FEATURING BUY TICKETS PROGRAM Joseph Haydn: Quartet in B-flat, Op. 76, No. 4 (“Sunrise”) Program Notes Shulamit Ran: Betwixt and Between – String Quartet No. 4 Commissioned by and composed for the Jerusalem String Quartet in 2025 Program Notes INTERMISSION Ludwig van Beethoven: Quartet in B-flat, Op. 130 (with the Grosse Fuge) Program Notes Watch the Jerusalem Quartet perform the Haydn’s String Quartet in D, Op. 64, No. 5 (The Lark): Watch the Jerusalem Quartet perform the third movement of Brahms's String Quartet No.3, Op.67:

  • VIDEOS | PCC

    VIDEOS PARLANCE PERFORMANCE VIDEOS VIDEO CONCERT PREVIEWS PARLOFF MULTIMEDIA LECTURES AND INTERVIEWS Watch in full screen Go to the video you'd like to watch. Press the red button with white arrow to play video. At the bottom-right of the video player, click full screen icon. May 17, 2026 Brahms' Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108 Chee-Yun, violin; Henry Kramer, piano Brahms' Cello Sonata No. 2 in F major, Op. 99 Sterling Elliott, cello, Henry Kramer, piano Michael Parloff Introduces Brahms’ Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8 Brahms: Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8 Chee-Yun, violin • Sterling Elliott, cello • Henry Kramer, piano October 12, 2025 Donizetti’s “Una furtiva lagrime” from L’elisir d’amore Lawrence Brownlee, tenor; Kevin J. MIller, piano Mozart’s“Un’aura amorosa” from Così fan tutte Lawrence Brownlee, tenor; Kevin J. MIller, piano September 14, 2025 Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4 in E-flat, K. 495 Brad Gemeindardt, horn; Michael Parloff, conductor Members of the Met Orchestra Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto in B-flat, K. 191 William Short, bassoon; Michael Parloff, conductor Members of the Met Orchestra Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A, K. 622 Anton Rist, clarinet; Michael Parloff, conductor Members of the Met Orchestra Haydn’s Symphony No. 6 in D, (The Morning) Hob. 1/6 Michael Parloff, conductor Members of the Met Orchestra March 9. 2025 Maurice Ravel’s Shéhérazade Erika Baikoff, soprano; Soohong Park, piano February 9, 2025 Camille Saint-Saëns’ Romance, Op. 36 Steven Isserlis, cello; Connie Shih, piano December 15, 2024 Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1 in G, K. 313 Denis Bouriakov, flute; Michael Parloff, conductor Musicians from the New York Philharmonic François Devienne’s Flute Concerto No. 7 in E minor Denis Bouriakov, flute; Michael Parloff, conductor Musicians from the New York Philharmonic October 20, 2024 Michael Parloff Introduces Joachín Turina’s La oración del torero ("The Bullfighter’s Prayer”) Joaquín Turina’s La oración del torero ("The Bullfighter’s Prayer”) Modigliani String Quartet September 29, 2024 Cellobration (Part 1) Carter Brey, Rafael Figueroa, Edward Arron, and Zvi Plesser, cello Jeewon Park, piano Cellobration (Part 2) Carter Brey, Rafael Figueroa, Edward Arron, and Zvi Plesser, cello Jeewon Park, piano June 2, 2024 Michael Parloff Introduces Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, K. 364 Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, K. 364 Oliver Neubauer, violin; Paul Neubauer, viola Members of the Met Orchestra; Michael Parloff, conductor MAY 12, 2024 Michael Parloff Introduces Dvorak’s Songs My Mother Taught Me Dvorak’s Songs My Mother Taught Me Chee-Yun, violin; Alessio Bax, piano Michael Parloff Introduces Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite Alesso Bax and Lucille Chung, piano Brahms’s Trio for violin, horn, and piano, Op. 40 Chee-Yun, violin; Brad Gemeinhardt, horn; Alessio Bax, piano March 10, 2024 Michael Parloff Introduces Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations, Op. 120 Richard Goode, piano JANUARY 14, 2024 Michael Parloff Introduces Anton Webern’s Langsamer Satz for String Quartet Anton Webern’s Langsamer Satz Goldmund String Quartet Michael Parloff Introduces Alexander Borodin’s String Quartet No. 2 in D Alexander Borodin’s Quartet No. 2 in D Major Goldmund String Quartet Robert Schumann’s Quartet No. 3 in A, Op. 42, No. 3 Goldmund String Quartet DECEMBER 3, 2023 Bruce Adolphe and Michael Parloff discuss Bruce Adolphe's “Memory Believes (a requiem)” Bruce Adolphe: Memory Believes (a requiem) Brentano String Quartet & Antioch Chamber Ensemble (choir) October 15, 2023 Michael Parloff Introduces Amanda Maier’s Piano Trio in E-flat Major Amanda Maier’s Piano Trio in E-flat Major The Lysander Piano Trio MAY 21, 2023 Michael Parloff Introduces Béla Bartók’s Rhapsody No. 1 for cello and piano Béla Bartók’s Rhapsody No. 1 for cello and piano, BB94c, Sz. 88 Zlatomir Fung, cello; Albert Cano Smit, piano Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Trio élégiaque No. 2, Op. 9 Kevin Zhu, violin; Zlatomir Fung, cello; Albert Cano Smit APRIL 2, 2023 Brahms’s E-minor Cello Sonata, Op. 38 Paul Watkins, cello; Boris Berman, piano MARCH 19, 2023 Bach’s French Suite in C minor, BWV 813 Rachel Naomi Kudo, piano Three Bach Transcriptions by Egon Petri and Ferruccio Busoni Rachel Naomi Kudo, piano Bach’s Italian Concerto, BWV 971 Rachel Naomi Kudo, piano FEBRUARY 12, 2023 Three Pieces by Fritz Kreisler Benjamin Beilman, violin; Gloria Chien, piano Michael Parloff Introduces Johann Strauss’s Emperor Waltz and Korngold’s Suite, Op. 23 (arr. Schoenberg) Johann Strauss’s Emperor Waltz; Arranged for Chamber Ensemble by Arnold Schoenberg Gloria Chien, piano; Benjamin Beilman and Alexi Kenney, violin; Milena Pajaro-Van de Stadt, viola; Mihai Marica, cello; Yoobin Son, flute; Pascual Martínez-Forteza, clarinet Michael Introduces Erich Korngold’s Suite for Two Violins, Cello, and Piano Left-Hand, Op. 23 Erich Korngold - Suite for 2 violins, cello, and piano left-hand; Parlance Chamber Concerts Gloria Chien, piano; Benjamin Beilman and Alexi Kenney, violin; Mihai Marica, cello JANUARY 29, 2023 Mozart, Divertimento in F, K. 318 The Danish String Quartet Benjamin Britten, Three Divertimenti The Danish String Quartet Elvis Presley, Can’t Help Falling in Love, arr. Danish String Quartet The Danish String Quartet DECEMBER 4, 2022 Sam Perkin, Freakshow The Sitkovetsky Trio NOVEMBER 20, 2022 Michael Parloff Introduces Erwin Schulhoff’s Hot Sonata for Saxophone and Piano Erwin Schulhoff’s Hot Sonata Steven Banks, saxophone and Xak Bjerken, piano Michael Parloff Introduces Claude Debussy’s Rapsodie for Saxophone and Piano Claude Debussy’s Rapsodie for Saxophone and Piano Steven Banks, saxophone and Xak Bjerken, piano OCTOBER 30, 2022 Brahms, String Sextet No. 2 in G, Op. 36 Emerson String Quartet with Guillermo Figueroa, viola, and David Finckel, cello NOVEMBER 14, 2021 Michael Parloff introduces Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in A minor, Op. 13 Mendelssohn, String Quartet in A minor, Op. 13 Schumann String Quartet Ravel, String Quartet in F Schumann String Quartet FEBRUARY 16, 2020 Verdi, Caro Nome (from Rigoletto) Meigui Zhang, soprano; Ken Noda, piano JANUARY 19, 2020 Beethoven, Sonata in C# minor, Op. 27, No. 2 (“Moonlight”) Paul Lewis, piano DECEMBER 15, 2019 Michael Parloff introduces Stravinsky’s “The Soldiers Tale” (Music from the 1918 pandemic) Stravinsky, “The Soldier’s Tale” Benjamin Luxon, narrator; Benjamin Beilman, violin; Innhyuck Cho, clarinet; Frank Morelli, Bassoon; Chris Coletti, trumpet; Demian Austin, trombone; David J. Grossman, bass; Ian Rosenbaum, percussion; Anni Crofut, dancer-choreographer OCTOBER 27, 2019 Boccherini, String Quartet in C, Op. 2, No. 6 Quartetto di Cremona Respighi, String Quartet No. 3 in D Quartetto di Cremona Verdi, “Quando le sere al placido” (from Luisa Miller) Quartetto di Cremona MAY 19, 2019 Michael Parloff introduces Mozart’s Adagio & Rondo, K. 617 for glass harmonica, flute, oboe, viola, and cello Mozart, Adagio & Rondo, K. 617 Friedrich Heinrich Kern, glass harmonica; Chelsea Knox, flute; Elaine Douvas, oboe; Jeremy Berry, viola; Estelle Choi, cello APRIL 14, 2019 Michael Parloff Introduces Corelli’s “La Folia” Violin Sonata in D minor, Op. 5, No. 12 Corelli (arrg. Poxon), “La Folia”: Sonata in D minor, Op. 5, No. 12 Anne Akiko Meyers, violin; Jason Vieaux, guitar Michael Parloff introduces Rentarō Taki’s Kōjō no Tsuki (The Moon Over the Ruined Castle) Rentarō Taki, Kōjō no Tsuki (The Moon Over the Ruined Castle) Anne Akiko Meyers, Violin Elvis Presley, Can’t Help Falling in Love Anne Akiko Meyers, violin, and Jason Vieaux, guitar MARCH 24, 2019 Bach, Violin and Keyboard Sonata in E Major, BWV 1016 Sarah Crocker Vonsattel, violin, and Gilles Vonsattel Bach, Keyboard Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052 Gilles Vonsattel, piano soloist, and chamber orchestra JANUARY 27, 2019 Michael Parloff Introduces Beethoven’s “Kakadu Variations,” Op. 121A Beethoven, “Kakadu Variations”, Op. 121A for piano trio Pinchas Zukerman Piano Trio Anton Arensky, Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 32 Pinchas Zukerman Piano Trio DECEMBER 16, 2018 Michael Parloff introduces Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110 Shostakovich, String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110 Emerson String Quartet Schubert, String Quintet in C Major, D. 956, Op.Posth 163 Emerson String Quartet with cellist David Finckel NOVEMBER 4, 2018 Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals Alessio Bax & Lucille Chung, pianos with Members of the New York Philharmonic Michael Parloff introduces Vivaldi’s Flute Concerto in D, Op. 10, No. 3 (“The Goldfinch”) Vivaldi, Flute Concerto in D, Op. 10, No. 3 (“The Goldfinch”) Yoobin Son, flute Members of the New York Philharmonic SEPTEMBER 23, 2018 Michael Parloff introduces Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 14 in E flat, K. 449 (Chamber Version) Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 14 in E flat, K. 449 Michael Brown, piano, and string quintet Schubert, Rondo in A, D. 438, for violin and string quartet Sean Lee, violin, and string quartet Chausson, Concerto in D, Op. 21, for violin, piano, and string quartet Arnaud Sussmann, violin; Michael Brown, piano, and string quartet APRIL 8, 2018 Michael Parloff Introduces Beethoven’s Quartet in F, Op. 59, No. 1 (Razumovsky No. 1) Ludwig van Beethoven: Quartet in F, Op. 59, No. 1 Danish String Quartet Michael Parloff Introduces Beethoven’s Quartet in C# minor, Op. 131 Ludwig van Beethoven: Quartet in C# Minor, Op. 131 Danish String Quartet MARCH 11, 2018 Beethoven, Sonata No. 10 in G, Op. 96 for violin and piano Benjamin Beilman, violin, and Orion Weiss, piano Ravel, “Blues” from Sonata No. 2 in G, for violin and piano Benjamin Beilman, violin, and Orion Weiss, piano A pre-performance conversation about Frederic Rzewski’s “Demons” (2017) Michael Parloff interviews Benjamin Beilman and Orion Weiss Frederic Rzewski, “Demons” (2017) for violin and piano Benjamin Beilman, violin, and Orion Weiss, piano FEBRUARY 17, 2018 Michael Parloff introduces the history of Haydn’s “Seven Last Words of Christ.” (5 minutes) Haydn, “The Seven Last Words of Christ” Chiara String Quartet Michael Parloff’s multimedia lecture on the history and music of Haydn’s “Seven Last Words of Christ” (55 minutes) DECEMBER 17, 2017 Rachmaninoff, Romance from Suite No. 2, Op. 17 for 2 pianos) Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung, pianos Rachmaninoff, Tarantella from Suite No. 2, Op. 17 for 2 pianos Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung, pianos Lutosławski, Variations on a Theme of Paganini for 2 pianos Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung, pianos NOVEMBER 19, 2017 Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, Mvt. 1 Los Angeles Guitar Quartet Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, Mvts. 2 & 3 Los Angeles Guitar Quartet OCTOBER 29, 2017 Michael Parloff Introduces Mozart’s Adagio in B minor, K. 540 Mozart, Adagio in B minor, K. 540 Peter Serkin, piano Mozart, Sonata in B-Flat Major, K. 570 Peter Serkin, piano Bach, The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 Peter Serkin, piano SEPTEMBER 24, 2017 Michael Parloff introduces Mendelssohn’s Octet for Strings, Op. 20 Mendelssohn, String Octet in E-flat, Op. 20 Arnaud Sussmann, Sean Lee, Emily Daggett Smith, & Danbi Um, violins; Mark Holloway & Paul Neubauer, violas; Rafael Figueroa & Mihai Marica, cellos Strolling Violist Paul Neubauer plays Schulenburg’s Puszta-Märchen Fauré, Romance in B-flat, Op. 28 for violin and piano Arnaud Sussmann, violin, and Michael Brown, piano Saint-Saëns, Romance in F, Op. 36 for cello and piano Mihai Marica, and Michael Brown, piano MARCH 26, 2017 Michael Parloff introduces Haydn’s Quartet in D, Op. 64, No. 5 (The Lark) Joseph Haydn, Quartet in D, Op. 64, No. 5 (The Lark) Jerusalem String Quartet DECEMBER 18, 2016 Gilad Cohen, Trio for a Spry Clarinet, Weeping Cello, and Ruminative Harp Michael Parloff interviews the composer followed by the trio performance Michael Parloff introduces Debussy’s Sacred and Profane Dances & Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro Claude Debussy, Sacred and Profane Dances Harpist Mariko Anraku with Met Orchestra principal musicians Maurice Ravel, Introduction and Allegro Harpist Emmanuel Ceysson with Met Orchestra principal musicians NOVEMBER 20, 2016 Michael Parloff introduces Dvořák’s Quartet No. 12 in F (American Quartet) Antonín Dvořák, String Quartet No. 12 in F (American) New York Philharmonic String Quartet George Gershwin, Lullaby New York Philharmonic String Quartet OCTOBER 30, 2016 Michael Parloff introduces Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8 Shostakovich, Piano Trio No. 1 in C minor, Op. 8 Wu Han, piano; David Finckel, cello; Philip Setzer, violin APRIL 3, 2016 Bach, Badinerie from Suite in B Minor BWV 1067 Sir James Galway, flute Benjamin Beilman and Danbi Um, violins Mark Holloway, viola; Nicholas Canellakis, cello Timothy Cobb, bass; Paolo Bordignon, harpsichord MARCH 6, 2016 Michael Parloff introduces Schubert’s String Quartet in D minor, K. 810 (“Death and the Maiden”) Escher String Quartet Schubert, String Quartet in D minor (“Death and the Maiden”), Mvts 1 & 2 Escher String Quartet Schubert, String Quartet in D minor (“Death and the Maiden”), Mvts 3 & 4 Escher String Quartet DECEMBER 13, 2015 Michael Parloff introduces Beethoven’s Cello Sonata No. 4 in C Paul Watkins, cello, Gilles Vonsattel, piano Beethoven, Cello Sonata in C, Op. 102, No. 1 – Full Performance Paul Watkins, cello, Gilles Vonsattel, piano Michael Parloff introduces Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 9 in A, Op. 47 (The “Bridgetower-Kreutzer”) Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 9 Violin Sonata No. 9 in A, Op. 47 (The “Bridgetower-Kreutzer”) Kristin Lee, violin; Gilles Vonsattel, piano NOVEMBER 15, 2015 Charles Ives: Violin Sonata No. 1 Stefan Jackiw, violin; Jeremy Denk, piano and speaker OCTOBER 4, 2015 Mozart, Sonata in F, K. 563 & K. 494 Richard Goode, piano Brahms: 4 Klavierstücke, Op. 119 Richard Goode, piano APRIL 26, 2015 Jules Styne, I Fall in Love Too Easily Stefon Harris, vibraphone/marimba, Alex Brown, piano MARCH 29, 2015 Frederic Weatherly, Danny Boy Matthew Polenzani, tenor, Ken Noda, piano Ravel, Five Popular Greek Songs Matthew Polenzani, tenor, Ken Noda, piano Michael Parloff introduces Samuel Barber’s Hermit Songs Samuel Barber, Hermit Songs, Op. 69 Matthew Polenzani, tenor; Ken Noda, piano Beethoven, Adelaide Matthew Polenzani, tenor; Ken Noda, piano FEBRUARY 8, 2015 Michael Parloff introduces Prokofiev’s Cello Sonata in C, Op. 119 Prokofiev, Cello Sonata in C, Op. 119 David Finckel, cello, Wu Han, piano JANUARY 4, 2015 Beethoven, Quartet No. 12 in E-flat, Op. 127 Emerson String Quartet Movement 1 Movement 2 Movement 3 Movement 4 NOVEMBER 2, 2014 Manuel de Falla, Polo from Seven Popular Songs Isabel Leonard, mezzo-soprano, Sharon Isbin, guitar OCTOBER 5, 2014 Mozart, Violin Sonata in E Minor, K. 308 Arnaud Sussmann, violin, Gilles Vonsattel, piano Michael Parloff introduces Mozart’s Violin Sonata in E minor, K. 308 Movement 1 Movement 2 OCTOBER 5, 2014 Brahms, Piano Quintet in F minor, 3rd Movement Erin Keefe, Arnaud Sussmann, violins, Hsin-Yun Huang viola, Rafael Figueroa, cello, Gilles Vonsattel, piano APRIL 27, 2014 William Walton, Façade Highlights Stephanie Blythe & Raymond Menard, reciters, Members of the Met Orchestra, Michael Parloff, conductor JANUARY 27, 2013 Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat, Op. 110 Richard Goode, piano Movement 1 Movement 2 Movement 3 OCTOBER 31, 2012 Mozart, Concerto in C, K. 299 for Flute and Harp Stefán Höskuldsson, flute, Deborah Hoffman, harp, Members of the Met Orchestra, Michael Parloff, conductor Michael Parloff introduces Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp, K. 299 Movement 1 Movement 2 Movement 3 Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf (Introducing the instrumental characters) Midge Woolsey, narrator, Members of the Met Orchestra, Michael Parloff, conductor Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf (Complete performance) Midge Woolsey, narrator, Members of the Met Orchestra, Michael Parloff, conductor SEPTEMBER 23, 2012 Reicha: Sinfonia in D, Op. 12 for four flutes Sir James Galway, Robert Langevin, Stefán Höskuldsson, Denis Bouriakov, flutes Movement 1 Movement 2 Movement 3 Movement 4

  • Songs, RICHARD STRAUSS (1864–1949)

    November 12, 2023: Angel Blue, soprano; Bryan Wagorn, piano RICHARD STRAUSS (1864–1949) Songs November 12, 2023: Angel Blue, soprano; Bryan Wagorn, piano Strauss wrote songs all his life, from his first song, “Weinachtslied” (Christmas song), at the age of six, to his Four Last Songs, so-named by his publisher, which he composed at the age of eighty-four. Many of his more than 200 songs were written for soprano Pauline de Ahna who became his wife in 1894; the composer himself usually accompanied her on the piano. Some of his songs remain infrequently performed—often because of their difficulty—while others hold a firm place both in recital and in orchestrated versions by Strauss and others on symphonic programs. Strauss composed the four marvelous songs of Opus 27 in 1894 as his wedding present to Pauline. He had become interested in a group of poets—followers of Max Stirner and his socialist ideals—who had established themselves as a force against sentimental mid-nineteenth-century poets and against folk and mock-ancient poetry. Strauss was little interested in their politics, but latched onto their Romantic outpourings. Third in the set, “Heimliche Aufforderung” (Secret invitation) sets a text by Scottish-born but German-raised Stirner disciple, John Henry Mackay. His text is an ardent love song, sung during a tryst amid a crowd of merrymakers. The eager vocal line is accompanied by rippling figurations that change several times to a more static texture to reflect the text. A peaceful postlude follows the ecstatic appeal for night to fall. “Allerseelen” (All Soul’s Day) belongs to Strauss’s first set of published songs, Acht Gedichte aus Letzte Blätter von Hermann von Gilm (Eight Poems from Last Leaves by Hermann von Gilm), op. 10. He had come across the poems in an 1864 volume brought back from Innsbruck by his friend and composer Ludwig Thuille. Strauss composed the songs in 1885, dedicating them to Heinrich Vogl, principal tenor at the Munich Court Opera, who had expressed admiration for them to the young composer. “Allerseelen” (All Souls’ Day), which appears last in the Opus 10 collection, refers to November 2, the day when Western Christians commemorate those dear to them who have died. The poet of Strauss’s setting is longing for his departed love to return, tenderly wishing for things to be as they once were. The song shows the twenty-one-year-old’s lyrical and harmonic mastery, in this case unfolding in a through-composed form that becomes progressively more dramatic. Another of Strauss’s greatest songs, “Befreit” (Freed), third in the Opus 39 set of 1898, sets a text by controversial but now largely forgotten Expressionist poet Richard Dehmel, whose poems became popular for their rich symbolism of erotic love, beauty, art, and feeling. Though Dehmel professed that poetry should have many equally valid interpretations, he went so far as to publish a criticism of Strauss’s setting but without giving specifics about why he thought it “too soft-grained.” He did admit that even though he had envisioned a man’s parting with his dying wife, there are many kinds of farewells. The title “Befreit” represents the loving couple so freed from suffering that not even death is a threat. Strauss’s moving setting emphasizes the constancy of their love and acknowledges with his poignant setting of “O Glück!” at the end of each verse that happiness radiates even through sorrow. “Morgen!” (Tomorrow!), which concludes the Opus 27 group (see above), sets another romantic text by John Henry Mackay. Strauss fashioned a delicate, rapturous setting, begun by one of his most extended and engaging introductions. The song concludes in recitative style followed by a condensed reminder of the introduction. Strauss dashed off “Cäcilie” on September 9, 1894, the day before his wedding. In a nice parallel, he was setting a poem that had been written to honor the wife of the poet, Heinrich Hart. (The text is often misattributed to Heinrich’s brother Julius.) Strauss is said to have embellished the already full and virtuosic accompaniment when performing the song, so it comes as no surprise that he decided to orchestrate it in 1897. Strauss placed it second in the Opus 27 set (see above), but it makes a perfect concluding selection here as his most impassioned and ecstatic love song. —©Jane Vial Jaffe Return to Parlance Program Notes

  • PETER SERKIN, PIANO

    PETER SERKIN, PIANO Recognized as an artist of passion and integrity, the distinguished American pianist Peter Serkin has successfully conveyed the essence of five centuries of repertoire. His inspired performances with symphony orchestras, in recital appearances, chamber music collaborations and on recordings have been lauded worldwide for decades. Peter Serkin’s rich musical heritage extends back several generations: his grandfather was violinist and composer Adolf Busch and his father pianist Rudolf Serkin. He has performed with the world’s major symphony orchestras, led by such eminent conductors as Seiji Ozawa, Pierre Boulez, Alexander Schneider, Daniel Barenboim, George Szell, Eugene Ormandy, Claudio Abbado, Simon Rattle, James Levine, Herbert Blomstedt, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos and George Cleve. A dedicated chamber musician, Mr. Serkin has collaborated with Alexander Schneider, Pamela Frank, Yo-Yo Ma, the Budapest, Guarneri, Orion, Shanghai, and Dover String Quartets and TASHI, of which he was a founding member. An avid exponent of the music of many of the 20th and 21st century’s most important composers, Mr. Serkin has been instrumental in bringing to life the music of Schoenberg, Reger, Webern, Berg, Stravinsky, Wolpe, Messiaen, Takemitsu, Wuorinen, Goehr, and Knussen for audiences around the world. He has performed many important world premieres of works written specifically for him, in particular by Toru Takemitsu, Hans Werner Henze, Luciano Berio, Leon Kirchner, Alexander Goehr, Oliver Knussen and Charles Wuorinen. Mr. Serkin has recently made several arrangements of four-hand music by Mozart, Schumann and his grandfather, Adolf Busch, for various chamber ensembles and for full orchestra. He has also arranged all of Brahms’s organ Chorale-Preludes, transcribed for one piano, four-hands. Mr. Serkin’s 2017-2018 season began with concerts in Japan, and he continues with solo recitals in Ashland OR, Sonoma, Fresno, and Santa Barbara CA, Ridgewood, NJ, and St. Paul, MN, performing Mozart Sonatas paired with Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Orchestral engagements include the Bartók Concerto for Two Pianos, Percussion, and Orchestra with Anna Polansky, Orchestra Now, and Leon Botstein at Carnegie Hall. The pianist also performs with the Rogue Valley and Duluth-Superior Symphonies, and he joins the Dover Quartet for the Brahms Piano Quintet at South Mountain Concerts. Last season, Mr. Serkin performed solo recitals in New York City, Beacon, NY, and Mount Kisco, NY, and orchestral programs with the Sacramento Philharmonic and Berkshire and Longwood Symphonies. In April, he joined members of the New York Philharmonic in a performance of the Busch Piano Quintet at New York City’s Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center. Following engagements with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra in Philadelphia, Mr. Serkin embarked on a European tour with the orchestra, performing Brahms Piano Concert No. 1 in London, Berlin, Vienna, Salzburg, Dresden, Bremen and Wroclaw. Recent summer seasons have featured engagements at the Ravinia, Tanglewood, La Jolla, Chautauqua, and Music Mountain Music Festivals, BBC Proms, Oxford Philharmonic and Bellingham Music Festivals performing concertos, chamber music, and duo piano programs. Mr. Serkin traveled to Havana, Cuba with the Bard Conservatory Orchestra in June 2016 and has been Artist-in-Residence at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. Orchestral highlights of recent seasons have included the Boston, Chicago, American, Sydney and Saint Louis Symphonies, New York Philharmonic and Scottish Chamber Orchestra, while recital tours have taken Mr. Serkin to Hong Kong, Cologne, Philadelphia, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Santa Monica, Princeton and New York’s 92nd Street Y. Mr. Serkin currently teaches at Bard College Conservatory of Music.

  • The White Swan (Pas D’action from Swan Lake), PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893)

    November 4, 2018: Sheryl Staples, violin; Lucille Chung, piano PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893) The White Swan (Pas D’action from Swan Lake) November 4, 2018: Sheryl Staples, violin; Lucille Chung, piano In 1871 Tchaikovsky spent a particularly pleasant summer break at his sister’s home in Kamenka, where he loved to dream up family activities for his nieces and nephews. This was most likely when he composed his little ballet on the subject that would later become his first full-length ballet, Swan Lake. Tchaikovsky’s nephew Yury left a delightful account of this production, for which Tchaikovsky’s brother Modest danced the role of the Prince, his ten-year-old niece Tatyana presumably danced Odette, and seven-year-old Anna played a cupid. Uncle Vasily Davidov designed the scenery—which included several large wooden swans—and Tchaikovsky himself demonstrated the steps and pirouettes required of the dancers. When Tchaikovsky received a commission for a ballet in the spring of 1875, he doubtless remembered the subject of this family divertissement. He may have even borrowed some of its music—most likely the iconic oboe theme representing the swans—though no proof exists. Two other early works provided themes for Swan Lake—his failed first opera, Voyevoda, and his ill-fated second opera, Undine, which was initially accepted but never produced. Busy with other projects, Tchaikovsky eventually completed Swan Lake late in April 1876. The premiere on March 4, 1877, at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater met with a distinct lack of success. Critics blamed the unimaginative choreography by Julius Reisinger, the poor scenery and costumes, the lack of first-rate dancers, the inexperience of conductor Ryabov—and Tchaikovsky’s score, though one report noted many beautiful moments. The orchestra musicians complained of the music’s complexity, and the dancers were indeed challenged by Tchaikovsky’s innovations which required new technical standards. Though not a brilliant success, Swan Lake did stay in the Bolshoi’s repertoire until 1883—in a version mangled with insertions from other ballets. Tchaikovsky never saw a satisfying complete performance, but in 1888 he experienced “one brief moment of unalloyed happiness” at a performance in Prague of the second act alone. Swan Lake’s great success did not began until two years after his death when a new production was mounted with the libretto revised by Modest Tchaikovsky and choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. Though still mutilated by cuts, additions, and reordering, the music at last began to be recognized for its daring achievement. The story revolves around Prince Siegfried, who must take a bride, and Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer. The enchantment can be broken only by a lover who has never pledged himself to another. Evil trickery prevents this outcome, and the original ballet ends with the ill-fated lovers sinking into the lake. Later productions have adopted endings ranging from romantic apotheosis to “happily ever after.” The famous “White Swan” Pas d’action (often called Pas de deux) poignantly accompanies the moonlit dance of Odette and Siegfried as they express their love for each other toward the end Act II—he has just saved her and her flock from his hunting party. Harp effects—here portrayed by the piano—pair with one of Tchaikovsky’s most tender violin melodies to create the romantic nocturnal atmosphere. © Jane Vial Jaffe Return to Parlance Program Notes

  • Cello Sonata No. 2 in F, Op. 99, Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

    May 17, 2026: Sterling Elliott, cello; Henry Kramer, piano Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Cello Sonata No. 2 in F, Op. 99 May 17, 2026: Sterling Elliott, cello; Henry Kramer, piano Brahms composed the Second Cello Sonata in his Swiss summer retreat at Thun in 1886. The extraordinarily productive month of August also saw the composition of his A major Violin Sonata, the C minor Piano Trio, and several songs. As he wrote the Cello Sonata, Brahms had in mind the masterful playing of Robert Hausmann, cellist of the Joachim Quartet. Hausmann’s ability to make anything sound good gave Brahms free rein to ignore certain idiomatic constraints and make technical demands, such as quick fingered tremolos on lower strings and uncharacteristic leaps. Hausmann and Brahms gave the first public performance in Vienna on November 24 of that year. Though the work is now acclaimed as a masterpiece of Brahms’s later style combined with some of the ardent pathos of his youthful works, it received a sharply negative review by Hugo Wolf, a notorious Brahms detractor, which is famously quoted in English translation by Nicolas Slonimsky in his Lexicon of Musical Invective : To write down, to print, to have performed anything like the new Cello Sonata by Herr Dr. Johannes Brahms and not to be infected by this madness is no longer a trifle—and upon my heart, I am beginning to acquire respect for myself. . . . What is then nowadays music, harmony, melody, rhythm, meaning, form, when this rigmarole seriously pretends to be regarded as music? If Herr Dr. Johannes Brahms intends to mystify his admirers with this newest work, if he wants to make fun of their brainless veneration, then it is of course something else, and we marvel at Herr Brahms as the greatest bluffer of this century and of all future millennia. Dramatic leaps in the cello and tremolos and broken chords in the piano characterize the agitated main theme of the first movement. Tremolos for both instruments turn out to provide much of the texture of the movement. Brahms constantly and characteristically undermines the movement’s 3/4 meter, beginning as early as the seventh and eighth measures as the cello leaps into high register with a syncopated variant of a hemiola (two beats in the time of three). The slow movement, with its singular marking Adagio affettuoso, is an unquiet and explosive one. One of its most surprising features is its key—F-sharp major, or the Neapolitan of the tonic F major, which led some biographers to suggest, without hard evidence, that this could have been the discarded slow movement of Brahms’s E minor Cello Sonata. Its unexpected harmonic manipulations, however, make it highly unlikely that Brahms could have written this movement twenty-one years earlier. Further, precedents do exist for unusual sequences of keys of movements—in the music of Haydn, for example, one of Brahms’s revered predecessors. Just as surprising is the secondary area in F minor. Prevalent in this movement but a rarity in Brahms’s works for solo strings is his frequent use of pizzicato (plucked strings) in high and low registers. The stormy, shadowy scherzo contains one of Brahms’s most taxing piano parts. Elisabet von Herzogenberg, a fine amateur pianist from whom Brahms often sought reactions during this period, liked the work immensely, but said that she would need to hear Brahms himself play the difficult third movement. The melody of the contrasting trio section is one of Brahms’s most ravishing. Though the trio begins in F, it again touches briefly on the F-sharp major key of the preceding movement. The finale relaxes the mood with a brief, cheerful rondo, into which Brahms slips one darker episode in minor that features sighing figures. Brahms recalls the rondo theme in G-flat major at its third appearance, surely a link to its enharmonic equivalent, F-sharp major, of the slow movement. Karl Geiringer’s examination of the original manuscript of the F major Cello Sonata (in the possession of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna) revealed that the last movement “seems to have been written with quite peculiar speed, as though the master could hardly write fast enough to put the rush of ideas on paper.” Such speed is entirely in keeping with that miraculously productive month of August. —©Jane Vial Jaffe Return to Parlance Program Notes

  • String Quartet in E minor, Op. 59, No. 2, Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

    October 20, 2024: Modigliani Quartet Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) String Quartet in E minor, Op. 59, No. 2 October 20, 2024: Modigliani Quartet Beethoven composed his three Quartets, op. 59, in 1805–06 for the Russian ambassador in Vienna, Count Andreas Kyrilovich Razumovsky. The count was an excellent amateur violinist, who played second violin in his own house string quartet, except when Louis Sina stepped in so he could sit back and listen. His first violinist was the illustrious Ignaz Schuppanzigh, whom Beethoven had known since 1794 and who premiered many of the composer’s works. The three Razumovsky Quartets represent an entirely different world than Beethoven’s six early Quartets, op. 18, published only four years before. In between he had written his never-mailed letter, the heartrending “Heiligenstadt Testament,” which dealt with the anguish of his deafness and solitude, and such innovative new works as the Eroica Symphony, the Appassionata Sonata, and the first version of Fidelio . His radical new style, with its expanded sonata forms, epic themes, complexities, and individualities, met with hostility and derision from early performers and critics. “Perhaps no work of Beethoven’s,” wrote his famed early biographer Alexander Wheelock Thayer, “met a more discouraging reception from musicians than these now famous Quartets.” The first movement of the second Razumovsky Quartet is just as remarkable for its tautness, agitation, and lean-but-dramatic gestures as the first Razumovsky was for its lush expansiveness. In the second Quartet’s first movement the opening idea actually comprises three elements—arresting opening chords, eloquent silence, and a short arpeggiated phrase—all of which Beethoven puts to inspired use in the course of the movement. Particularly memorable are the alternating chords and silences that begin the development and the coda, which itself serves almost as a second development. The very end shows Beethoven’s penchant for repeating a hushed motive—here the arpeggiated phrase—at a loud dynamic level, though he orchestrates a quick fade for a calm conclusion. Apparently Beethoven’s student Carl Czerny reported that the nobly serene slow movement in E major occurred to the master “when contemplating the starry sky and thinking of the music of the spheres.” This kind of contemplation, not surprising from an educated European Romantic, certainly seems plausible as the inspiration for the chorale-like opening, which unfolds into a full, songful sonata form. Toward the end Beethoven again recalls a soft theme loudly when he introduces a strangely accented, harmonically distorted version of the “chorale”—ecstatic passion that dissolves into the sublime. Beethoven’s Allegretto is a scherzo in form, but its syncopated, almost ghostly main theme projects a disquieting rather than joking demeanor. The composer incorporated a Russian theme into each of the first two Razumovsky Quartets, making an audible connection to his patron, though it is uncertain whether the idea and the choice of theme was Beethoven’s or the count’s. Here the Russian theme—a patriotic hymn famously used later by Musorgsky in his opera Boris Godunov —provides jovial contrast in the trio section. Beethoven elaborates the tune to an amazing degree, introducing all manner of contrapuntal devices and an element of parody that together strip the tune of any ceremonial connotations. In order to extend the proportions of the typical scherzo-trio-scherzo he asks for a literal repeat of the trio and second repeat of the scherzo. The Presto finale sweeps the listener away on a wild romp that only occasionally asserts the E minor home key, preferring boisterously, optimistically, and humorously to stress C major. His sonata-rondo main theme with its irresistible galloping rhythm and forward motion came to him after he had already sketched his innovative key scheme. He presents the refrain four times, each time wittily shortening the subject from the previous hearing. Beethoven’s delight in building suspense and laughingly moving on culminates in the final return to the main theme and its even faster conclusion. —©Jane Vial Jaffe Return to Parlance Program Notes

  • Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, BWV 1049 for two flutes, solo violin, strings, and continuo , JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750)

    April 3, 2016: Sir James Galway and Lady Jeanne Galway, flutes; Benjamin Beilman solo violin; Sean Lee and Danbi Um, violins; Mark Holloway, viola; Nicholas Canellakis, cello; Timothy Cobb, bass; Paolo Bourdignon, harpsichord JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750) Brandenburg Concerto No. 4, BWV 1049 for two flutes, solo violin, strings, and continuo April 3, 2016: Sir James Galway and Lady Jeanne Galway, flutes; Benjamin Beilman solo violin; Sean Lee and Danbi Um, violins; Mark Holloway, viola; Nicholas Canellakis, cello; Timothy Cobb, bass; Paolo Bourdignon, harpsichord In March 1719, when Bach was in Berlin to collect the new harpsichord made for Cöthen by court instrument maker Michael Mietke, he had occasion to play for Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg. The meeting spurred the Margrave to invite Bach to send him some compositions. The works that he sent probably originated in Weimar even before Bach’s move to Cöthen in 1717, but it took yet another two years for him to complete, compile, and submit his “Six concerts avec plusieurs instruments” (Six concertos with several instruments). He dedicated the 1721 manuscript to the Margrave, saying: As I had a couple of years ago the pleasure of appearing before Your Royal Highness . . . and as I noticed then that Your Highness took some pleasure in the small talents that Heaven has given me for Music, and as in taking leave of Your Royal Highness, Your Highness deigned to honor me with the command to send Your Highness some pieces of my composition: I have then in accordance with Your Highness’s most gracious orders taken the liberty of rendering my most humble duty to Your Royal Highness with the present Concertos, which I have adapted to several instruments. No record exists of the Margrave of Brandenburg ever using the scores, ever sending Bach a fee, or ever thanking him. Legend has it that a lack of acknowledgment may have stemmed from the Margrave’s instrumental resources not matching those of Cöthen or Weimar, thus rendering the pieces unperformable at his establishment. But this overlooks the fact that Bach used unprecedented and different scoring in each of the individual works, treating the collection like an “Art of the Concerto Grosso” and thus was not aiming to match any specific establishment’s resources. The manuscript eventually became the property of the state library in Berlin, remaining unpublished until the Bach revival in the nineteenth century. In 1880 Philipp Spitta, Bach’s famous biographer, coined the term “Brandenburg Concertos,” which has been used ever since for the well-loved works. The standard plan for the eighteenth-century concerto grosso was simple and at the same time flexible. The format, developed by Torelli, Corelli, and Vivaldi, consisted of a small group of solo instruments (the concertino) alternating with a larger group (the ripieno or tutti). Most of these works used a string orchestra for the ripieno and two violins and cello for the concertino, and the usual number of movements was three: fast, slow, fast. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos offer a wide spectrum of innovative instrumental schemes and combinations and a great variety in treatment of form. Nos. 1, 3, and 6 use instrumental forces that are fairly balanced in number, whereas Nos. 2, 4, and 5 contrast a small concertino with a large ripieno. The Fourth Concerto combines elements of a solo violin concerto and a concerto grosso, with a concertino group of the solo violin and two flutes (originally recorders). The solo violin is required to play almost without pause in the first movement, and to execute virtuosic cadenza-like passages in the third movement. The lightning-quick scale passages and double-stops make this Concerto as difficult, if not more difficult, than any of Bach’s violin concertos. The three movements of the Fourth Brandenburg Concerto follow the traditional fast-slow-fast arrangement. The first movement uses da capo form (a beginning section, followed by a contrasting section, then a repeat of the first section). The slow movement revolves around chains of pulsing two-note groupings and makes much of the contrast between loud (full group) and soft (soloists alone). The texture of much of the last movement is fugal, and its momentum is infectious. Near the end the “heartbeat” is twice suspended by forceful chords and rests before the energetic push to the finish. © Jane Vial Jaffe Return to Parlance Program Notes

  • SCOTT STEVENS, PERCUSSION

    SCOTT STEVENS, PERCUSSION Scott Stevens has been a percussionist and timpanist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra since 1977. He received his degrees from The Juilliard School where he studied with Saul Goodman and Elden “Buster” Bailey. In the summers, Mr. Stevens is a member of the percussion faculty at the Interlochen Arts Camp, Interlochen, Michigan.

  • SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2015 AT 3 PM | PCC

    SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2015 AT 3 PM Richard Goode, piano BUY TICKETS RICHARD GOODE, PIANO “Richard Goode is one of the finest pianists in the world. Few can match his unfailingly beautiful tone, effortless technical command, interpretive insight, and emotional commitment to the music he plays.” – The Washington Post FEATURING ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE BUY TICKETS One of today’s most thrilling and highly acclaimed artists, Richard Goode is universally hailed as a deeply insightful interpreter of the Viennese classics. His emotionally rich, far-ranging recital will feature two of Mozart’s most dramatic sonatas in alternation with a selection of Brahms’s beloved intermezzi, ballades, and romances. “The best pianists are able to produce an alluring sound from any instrument. Richard Goode, during a magisterial performance of late Beethoven sonatas in May at Carnegie Hall, produced a glowing, warm sound that encompassed a wide dynamic spectrum from muted intimacy to full‐throttle power without ever sounding harsh.” – The New York Times PROGRAM Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Sonata No. 8 in A minor, K. 310 Program Notes Johannes Brahms Klavierstücke, Op. 118 Program Notes Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Sonata No. 15 in F, K. 533 Program Notes Johannes Brahms Klavierstücke, Op. 119 Program Notes A short introduction Brahms’s Klavierstücke, Op. 119; Richard Goode, pianist: Hear the story behind Mozart’s A-minor Piano Sonata; Richard Goode, pianist: Watch a short video about pianist Richard Goode: Richard Goode, pianist - Beethoven Sonata No. 31 in A-flat, Op 110, Mvt. 1:

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Partial funding is provided by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts through Grant Funds administered by the Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs.

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